Gas turbine engines

ABSTRACT

A closed cycle gas turbine power plant has a compressor, a nuclear reactor disposed in a pressure vessel and a turbine which is connected to receive and be driven by working fluid compressed by the compressor and heated by the nuclear reactor. A heat exchanger receives the working fluid expanded in the turbine and returns it to the compressor, the turbine and the compressor being removably disposed within a first recess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchanger being removably disposed in a second recess in the pressure vessel.

United States Patent 091 Andrews et al. July 3, 1973 GAS TURBINE ENGINES3,516,880 6/1970 16mm 60/59 T [75] Inventors: Edward George DavidAndrews, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Ruflby; Gwrl' ward 972,9013/l963 Great Britain l76/DIG. 2 Coventry; John Befll'llfl "olllday,$42,462 l/l942 Great Britain 60/36 Derby; James Norman Hurst, Repmn a fEngkmd OTHER PUBLICATIONS [73] Assign: Ro|ls Ryce Limited, DerbyNucleonics, Vol. I4. No. 3, March I956, Pgs. 34-35.

England Primary ExaminerMartin P. Schwadron [22] Flled: 1970 AssistantExaminer-Allen M. Ostrager [2|] App] 82,395 Attorney-Cushman, Darby &Cushman Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT 0m. 25, 1969Great Britain 52.365/69 A dOSed cycle gas turbine P Plant has a P sor, anuclear reactor disposed in a pressure vessel and 52 U S CL 0 59 T,|76/D[G 2 7 0 a turbine which iS connected to receive and be driven165/14]I K's/164, /95 by working fluid compressed by the compressor and51 Int. Cl. (321d 1/02, G2ld 5/06 heated by the nuclear read A heatexchanger [58] Field at Search 60/36, 59 T; wives the Working fluidexpanded in the turbine and 165/164, 140, Ml; 176/60, 187, DIG. 2returns it to the compressor, the turbine and the compressor beingremovably disposed within a first recess 56] References cu in thepressure vessel and the heat exchanger being re- UNITED STATES PATENTSmovably disposed in a second recess in the pressure I. 3,444,038 5/I969Schabert 60/59 T vesse 3,513,908 5/1970 Singh 44 [/164 X 6 Claims, 4Drawing Figures r ..-sxxmmmmxsrswmsx PATENTED JUL 3 I973 SHEET 1 BF 3awumu, r Anal-nay PATENT JUL3 ED sum: or 3 3742707 0 94 0 m, 3 w w 21.V/// III 5 II' 1 6 Allll l T ,6 I" no .I k Q I: \q 6 0 w 5 w r n If///V//// /////7/ GAS TURBINE ENGINES This invention relates toclosed-cycle gas turbine engine power plants and is a modification ofthe closedcycle gas turbine engine power plant described and claimed inour co-pending United Kingdom Patent application No. 49638/67.

According to the present invention, a closed-cycle gas turbine enginepower plant comprises compressor means, nuclear reactor means disposedwithin a pressure vessel and connected to receive and heat working fluidcompressed by the compressor means, turbine means connected to receiveand be driven by working fluid heated by the nuclear reactor means andheat exchange means connected to receive and cool working fluid expandedin the turbine means and to return cooled working fluid to be compressedin the compressor means, the compressor means and the turbine meansbeing removably disposed within a first recess in the pressure vesseland the heat exchange means being removably disposed within a secondrecess in the pressure vessel.

The heat exchange means preferably comprises a recuperator having afirst flow path connected to receive the working fluid expanded in theturbine means in heat exchange relationship with a second flow pathconnected for the flow of the working fluid passing from the compressormeans to the nuclear reactor means and a cooler connected to receiveworking fluid from the first flow path and to return it to be compressedin the compressor means.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooler is substantiallyannular in shape and surrounds the recuperator.

The coolant inlet and outlet of the cooler are preferably bothpositioned at one end thereof.

Thus the cooler may comprise first and second substantially concentriccircular manifolds which are positioned adjacent said one end thereofand which respectively communicate with the coolant inlet and outlet,and first and second annular arrays of pipes which communicate with andextend substantially axially from the first and second manifoldsrespectively, the ends of pipes of the first array remote from themanifolds communicating with the ends of the pipes of the second arrayremote from the manifolds.

The first and second recesses are preferably substantially cylindricaland may have their axes vertically disposed.

Where the second recess is vertically disposed, said one end ispreferably at the top, and the intercooler is preferably suspended fromthe coolant inlet and outlet. Additionally, there may be provided asubstantially cylindrical baffle within said first and second arrays ofpipes, said baffle being arranged to sealingly engage the bottom of thesecond recess under its own weight so as to separate the first flow pathof the recuperator from the working fluid flow path of the cooler.

The compressor means may comprise, in flow series, a low pressure axialflow compressor, an intercooler and a high pressure axial flowcompressor.

The intercooler is preferably substantially annular in shape andpositioned between and coaxial with the compressors.

The compressor means and the turbine means may be mounted within asubstantially cylindrical pod which is removably disposed within itsrespective recess.

The invention will now be particularly described, by way ofnon-limitative example only, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a closed cycle gasturbine engine power plant in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic section on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are more detailed views of part of FIG. 2.

The gas turbine engine power plant shown in the Figures comprises asubstantially cylindrical prestressed concrete pressure vessel 10 havingits axis substantially vertically disposed and containing, in acentrally disposed recess 12, a gas-cooled nuclear reactor 14. Sixequiangularly spaced apart vertically extending cylindrical recesses 16are provided in the pressure vessel 10 around the recess 12: a pair ofadjacent recesses 16 (designated 16a and 16b) is shown in FIG. 2, theremaining two pairs of adjacent recesses 16 being substantiallyidentical to the pair shown.

The recess 16a contains a removably mounted cylindrical pod 18containing in turn a shaft 20 which is coaxial with the pod l8. Securedto the shaft 20, in descending vertical order as viewed in FIG. 2, are ahigh pressure axial flow compressor 22, a low pressure axial flowcompressor 24 and a high pressure axial flow turbine 26. The upper endof the shaft 20 is connectable to an electric motor 28 for startingpurposes, the starter motor 28 also being contained within the pod 18.

A substantially annular intercooler 30 is positioned between thecompressor 22,24 and is coaxial therewith. The intercooler 30 comprisesan annular fiow duct 32 which communicates between the outlet of thecompressor 24 and the inlet of the compressor 22, and which contains aplurality of vertically extending finned pipes (not shown) connected forthe flow of cooling water.

The inlet of the turbine 26 communicates with an outlet from the nuclearreactor 14 via a duct 36 extending radially of the pod 18 through theconcrete of the pressure vessel I0, while the outlet thereofcommunicates with the inlet of an axial flow power turbine 38. Theturbine 38 is disposed outside the pod 18, with its axis horizontal, ina horizontally disposed cylindrical enlargement 40 at the bottom of therecess 16, and is secured to a horizontal drive shaft 42 which isdrivingly connected to an alternator (not shown) disposed externally ofthe pressure vessel 10. However, if desired the turbine 38 and its shaft42 may be axially aligned with the shaft 20 and positioned within thepod 18, the alternator being disposed beneath the pressure vessel 10.

The recess 16b contains a substantially annular precooler coaxialtherewith and a recuperator 52 positioned within the precooler $0. Theprecooler 50 and the recuperator 52 are removable from the recess 16b.The precooler 50 comprises an annular flow duct 54 which contains aplurality of finned pipes 55 (see FIG. 3) connected for the flow ofcooling water. The recuperator 52 comprises a first flow path 58 havingan inlet 59 connected, via a horizontally extending duct 60 through theconcrete of the pressure vessel 10, to the outlet of the turbine 38 andan outlet 61 connected to the inlet of the annular flow duct 54 of theprecooler 50, and a second flow duct 62 comprising a plurality of finnedpipes (not shown) and having an inlet 63 connected, via a horizontallyextending duct 64 through the concrete of the pressure vessel 10, to theoutlet of the compressor 22 and an outlet 65 connected, via a verticallyupwardly extending duct 66 connected to a duct 67 extending radially ofthe recess 16b through the concrete of the pressure vessel 10, to aninlet to the nuclear reactor 14. The outlet of the annular flow duct 54of the precooler 50 is connected, via a horizontally extending duct 68through the concrete of the pressure vessel 10, to the inlet of thecompressor 24.

Each of the recesses 16 is closed by a double closure member 70 whichmay be similar to those disclosed in either of our co-pending UnitedKingdom Patent applications 33975/68 (Ser. No. l,l67,488) and 33976/68(Ser. No. 1,161,670).

The precooler 50 and the recuperator 52 are shown in more detail inFIGS. 3 and 4. The precooler 50 comprises a semi-circular water inletmanifold 72 which is positioned at the top thereof and the middle ofwhich is provided with a radially outwardly extending water inlet 74.The opposite ends of the manifold 72 are connected, via twopart-circular intermediate manifolds 76, to a circular main distributionmanifold 78. The manifolds 72, 76, 78 are coaxial with the recess 16b,and substantially equal in diameter and vertically spaced from eachother.

A plurality of vertically downwardly extending pipes 80 are connected tothe manifold 78 about its entire periphery, and the spaced-apart finnedpipes 55 communicate with, and extend upwardly from, the bottoms of thepipes 80 to form an annular array coaxial with and positioned within thecylindrical space enclosed by the pipes 80. The upper ends of the pipes55 communicate with a circular main collection manifold 82 which issubstantially concentric with and positioned within the manifold 78 andwhich communicates in turn with a semi-circular outlet manifold 84concentric with and diametrically opposed to the manifold 72. The middleof the manifold 84 is provided with a radially outwardly extendingoutlet 85 which is thus diametrically opposite the inlet 74.

The radially innermost of the pipes 55 are secured to a cylindricalbaffle 86 which extends the full length of the precooler S and whichsealingly engages the bottom of the recess 16b under its own weight. Theintercooler 50 is also supported by being suspended from the inlet 74and outlet 86 and their respective semicircular manifolds 72,84. Theinlet 59 of the recuperator 52 is positioned in the bottom of the recess16b within the circle defined by the baffle 86, while the outlet ofannular flow duct 54 of the precooler 50 is positioned at the bottom ofthe recess 16b in the wall thereof. The baffle 86 therefore constrainsthe working fluid of the power plant to flow up the first flow path 58of the recuperator 52, in contra-flow to the working fluid flowing downthe pipes of the second flow path 62 of the recuperator $2, and down theflow duct 54 of the precooler 50 in contra-flow to the water flowing inpipes 55.

The inlet 63 of the pipes constituting second flow path 62 of therecuperator 52 communicates with a space 87 (see FIG. 3) in the recess16b, which space communicates with the duct 64. The space 87 is sealedbetween the closure member 70 and an annular flange 88 which is weldedaround the external surface of the duct 66 and which seats on a radiallyinwardly projecting land 89 provided on a metal liner 90 of the recess16!). The duct 66 is disconnectably connected to the duct 67 above theflange 88.

In order to remove the precooler 50 and the recuperator 52 from therecess 16b, it is only necessary to disconnect the water inlet 74, thewater outlet 86 and the connection between the ducts 66 and 67, all ofwhich are at the top of the recess 16b and thus readily accessible.

in operation, the working fluid of the power plant (which is preferablyhelium, but may be carbon dioxide) enters and is compressed in thecompressor 24, and then passes through and is cooled in the intercooler30 before being further compressed in the compressor 22. The compressedworking fluid leaving the compressor 22 passes through and is heated aswill hereinafter be described in the second flow path 62 of therecuperator 52 and is then further directly heated in the nuclearreactor 14, of which it constitutes the coolant: however, the nuclearreactor 14 could be arranged to heat the working fluid indirectly ifdesired.

The heated working fluid leaving the nuclear reactor 14 first passesinto and drives the turbine 26, thereby driving the compressors 22,24and then passes into and drives the turbine 38 and its drive shaft 42.The working fluid expanded in the turbine 38 passes through the firstflow path 58 of the recuperator 52, thus being cooled while heating theworking fluid flowing in the second flow path 62, and then passesthrough and is further cooled in the precooler 50 before re-entering thecompressor 24.

Advantageously, the working cycle and the control system of the powerplant are described in more detail in our co-pending United KingdomPatent applications numbers 43819/68, 43820/68 and 43821/68.

The arrangement of the components of one working cycle of the powerplant in two recesses 16a, 16b instead of one produces two substantiallyequally sized assemblies of components, which assemblies are eachsmaller and therefore more manageable than a single pod containing allthe components and which reduce the overall height of the pressurevessel 10. Further, the arrangement of the precooler 50 around therecuperator 52 thermally insulates the latter from the pressure vessel10, thereby reducing the thermal stresses to which the pressure vessel10 is subjected. Finally the axial alignment of the outlet of thecompressor 24, the flow duct 32 of the intercooler 30 and the inlet ofthe compressor 22 reduces the flow losses in the intercooler 30.

We claim:

1. A closed-cycle gas turbine engine power plant comprising: compressormeans; nuclear reactor means disposed within a pressure vessel andconnected to receive and heat working fluid compressed by the compressormeans; turbine means connected to receive and be driven by working fluidheated by the nuclear reactor means; and heat exchange means connectedto receive and cool working fluid expanded in the turbine means and toreturn cooled working fluid to be compressed in the compressor means,the compressor means and the turbine means being removably disposedwithin a first recess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchange meansbeing removably disposed within a second recess in the pressure vessel;said heat exchange means comprising a recuperator having a first flowpath connected to receive the working fluid expanded in the turbinemeans in heat exchange relationship with a second flow path connectedfor the flow of the working fluid passing from the compressor means tothe nuclear reactor means, and a cooler connected to receive workingfluid from the first flow path and to return it to be compressed in thecompressor means, said cooler comprising first and second substantiallyco-axial partcircular manifolds which are positioned adjacent one endthereof and which respectively communicate with the coolant inlet andoutlet, and first and second annular arrays of pipes which communicatewith and extend substantially axially from the first and secondmanifolds respectively, the ends of pipes of the first array remote fromthe manifolds communicating with the ends of the pipes of the secondarray remote from the manifolds, and a substantially cylindrical bafflewithin said first and second arrays of pipes, said baffle being arrangedto sealingly engage the bottom of the second recess under its own weightso as to separate the first flow path of the recuperator from theworking fluid flow path of the cooler.

2. A closed-cycle gas turbine engine power plant comprising compressormeans, nuclear reactor means disposed within a pressure vessel andconnected to receive and heat working fluid compressed by the compressormeans, turbine means connected to receive and be driven by working fluidheated by the nuclear reactor means and heat exchange means connected toreceive and cool working fluid expanded in the turbine means and toreturn cooled working fluid to be compressed in the compressor means,the compressor means and the turbine means being removably disposedwithin a first recess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchange meansbeing removably disposed within a second recess in the pressure vessel,said recesses being separated by portions of the pressure vessel, saidheat exchange means comprising a recuperator having a first flow pathconnected to receive the working fluid expanded in the turbine means inheat exchange relationship with a second flow path connected for theflow of the working fluid passing from the compressor means to thenuclear reactor means, and a substantially annular cooler surroundingthe recuperator and connected to receive working fluid from the firstflow path and to return it to be compressed in the compressor means.

3. A closed-cycle gas turbine engine power plant comprising compressormeans, nuclear reactor means disposed within a pressure vessel andconnected to receive and heat working fluid compressed by the compressormeans, turbine means connected to receive and be driven by working fluidheated by the nuclear reactor means and heat exchange means connected toreceive and cool working fluid expanded in the turbine means and toreturn cooled working fluid to be compressed in the compressor means,the compressor means and the turbine means being removably disposedwithin a first recess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchange meansbeing removably disposed within a second recess in the pressure vessel,said recesses being separated by portions of the pressure vessel, saidheat exchange means comprising a recuperator having a first flow pathconnected to receive the working fluid expanded in the turbine means inheat exchange relationship with a second flow path connected for theflow of the working fluid passing from the compressor means to thenuclear reactor means, and a cooler connected to receive working fluidfrom the first flow path and to return it to be compressed in thecompressor means, said cooler comprising first and second substantiallyco-axial part-circular manifolds which are positioned adjacent said oneend thereof and which respectively communicate with the coolant inletand outlet, and first and second annular arrays of pipes whichcommunicate with and extend substantially axially from the first andsecond manifolds respectively, the ends of pipes of the first arrayremote from the manifolds communicating with the ends of the pipes ofthe second array remote from the manifolds.

4. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coolant inlet andoutlet of the cooler are both positioned at one end thereof.

5. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and secondrecesses are substantially cylindrical and have their axes verticallydisposed.

6. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compressor means andthe turbine means are mounted within a substantially cylindrical podwhich is removably disposed within its respective recess.

i i i i i

1. A closed-cycle gas turbine engine power plant comprising: compressormeans; nuclear reactor means disposed within a pressure vessel andconnected to receive and heat working fluid compressed by the compressormeans; turbine means connected to receive and be driven by working fluidheated by the nuclear reactor means; and heat exchange means connectedto receive and cool working fluid expanded in the turbine means and toreturn cooled working fluid to be compressed in the compressor means,the compressor means and the turbine means being removably disposedwithin a first recess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchange meansbeing removably disposed within a second recess in the pressure vessel;said heat exchange means comprising a recuperator having a first flowpath connected to receive the working fluid expanded in the turbinemeans in heat exchange relationship with a second flow path connectedfor the flow of the working fluid passing from the compressor means tothe nuclear reactor means, and a cooler connected to receive workingfluid from the first flow path and to return it to be compressed in thecompressor means, said cooler comprising first and second substantiallyco-axial part-circular manifolds which are positioned adjacent one endthereof and which respectively communicate with the coolant inlet andoutlet, and first and second annular arrays of pipes which communicatewith and extend substantially axially from the first and secondmanifolds respectively, the ends of pipes of the first array remote fromthe manifolds communicating with the ends of the pipes of the secondarray remote from the manifolds, and a substantially cylindrical bafflewithin said first and second arrays of pipes, said baffle being arrangedto sealingly engage the bottom of the second recess under its own weightso as to separate the first flow path of the recuperator from theworking fluid flow path of the cooler.
 2. A closed-cycle gas turbineengine power plant compRising compressor means, nuclear reactor meansdisposed within a pressure vessel and connected to receive and heatworking fluid compressed by the compressor means, turbine meansconnected to receive and be driven by working fluid heated by thenuclear reactor means and heat exchange means connected to receive andcool working fluid expanded in the turbine means and to return cooledworking fluid to be compressed in the compressor means, the compressormeans and the turbine means being removably disposed within a firstrecess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchange means beingremovably disposed within a second recess in the pressure vessel, saidrecesses being separated by portions of the pressure vessel, said heatexchange means comprising a recuperator having a first flow pathconnected to receive the working fluid expanded in the turbine means inheat exchange relationship with a second flow path connected for theflow of the working fluid passing from the compressor means to thenuclear reactor means, and a substantially annular cooler surroundingthe recuperator and connected to receive working fluid from the firstflow path and to return it to be compressed in the compressor means. 3.A closed-cycle gas turbine engine power plant comprising compressormeans, nuclear reactor means disposed within a pressure vessel andconnected to receive and heat working fluid compressed by the compressormeans, turbine means connected to receive and be driven by working fluidheated by the nuclear reactor means and heat exchange means connected toreceive and cool working fluid expanded in the turbine means and toreturn cooled working fluid to be compressed in the compressor means,the compressor means and the turbine means being removably disposedwithin a first recess in the pressure vessel and the heat exchange meansbeing removably disposed within a second recess in the pressure vessel,said recesses being separated by portions of the pressure vessel, saidheat exchange means comprising a recuperator having a first flow pathconnected to receive the working fluid expanded in the turbine means inheat exchange relationship with a second flow path connected for theflow of the working fluid passing from the compressor means to thenuclear reactor means, and a cooler connected to receive working fluidfrom the first flow path and to return it to be compressed in thecompressor means, said cooler comprising first and second substantiallyco-axial part-circular manifolds which are positioned adjacent said oneend thereof and which respectively communicate with the coolant inletand outlet, and first and second annular arrays of pipes whichcommunicate with and extend substantially axially from the first andsecond manifolds respectively, the ends of pipes of the first arrayremote from the manifolds communicating with the ends of the pipes ofthe second array remote from the manifolds.
 4. A power plant as claimedin claim 2, wherein the coolant inlet and outlet of the cooler are bothpositioned at one end thereof.
 5. A power plant as claimed in claim 2,wherein the first and second recesses are substantially cylindrical andhave their axes vertically disposed.
 6. A power plant as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the compressor means and the turbine means are mountedwithin a substantially cylindrical pod which is removably disposedwithin its respective recess.